People Should Not Complain about the PS Plus Instant Game Collection

If it were different, most of us wouldn’t experience half of the independent and lesser-known titles that we do.

GamersFTW writes: "To clarify immediately, I am not suggesting that the PS Plus service itself should be immune from criticism. With the alarmingly- frequent downtime and yet substantial subscription costs, I’d argue that finger-pointing is entirely justified. What is more spurious, however, is the criticism of the Instant Game Collection for offering too many lesser-known and independent titles and not enough heavy-hitter, AAA games. There are a few reasons why these complaints are ill-founded, outlined below."

[cynicgamer]

Agree entirely. Indie games are the lifeblood of the industry and spur innovation. They take the risks that most AAA developers are too scared to do these days... because shareholders.

[nX]

I'd rather consider new IP's the lifeblood of this industry but indies are the best platform for innovation and especially important these days to show people that there's more to gaming than CoD and FIFA.

[xHeavYx]

This is news for me. I never heard anyone complaint about the Instant Game Collection (without counting the obvious trolls)

[spacedelete]

absolute BS. just because its indy doesn't mean its good. only a very few indies are good games like SuperMeat Boy but the rest is shovelware. if you brought a PS4 for indies your a mug tbh.

[nX]

According to your comment history you're* the mug though. You probably don't even understand the point of this article but still come here to post your nonsense, don't you think people know your agenda by now?

[abradley]

Indie Games = Shovelware? Have you not played some of the modern AAA games? On almost every indie game I've ever played on console, has had no bugs. Instead they've focused on making the game as polished and enjoyability as possible.

I don't see that happening from the big boys! All I see is cash cowing dead ip's and bug ridden bundles of shit from everyone else.

I agree, PS+ is fantastic and yes, some months don't have much that I'm interested in. However not every game is made for me!

[spacedelete]

@abrabradley if you want to play trash like Mousecraft over games like GTA then go right ahead but your a minority. you make it seem like every AAA game is terrible when thats not true at all. theres bad AAA games and good AAA games. if you like indies so much go play an ipad but i want real games that push the PS4 to its limit.

[uth11]

Of course not every Indie game is good. In fact I'd say most of them aren't. But there are enough awesome Indies that you shouldn't dismiss them entirely

[Larry L]

This may sound like splitting hairs, but it's really not. There IS no "Instant Games Collection" anymore. There hasn't been for a LONG time. I've been a Plus member since Day 1, and I remember the IGC. The Instant Games Collection was many games for each platform all available for an extended amount of time which were slowly rotated out with major games staying for months. It was exactly that, a collection of games for new platform adopters without having to spend more money on games to play, something that probably holds new console purchasers back sometimes due to financial reasons.

How it is now certainly gives us more games for our money, however new PS4 gamers don't have the opportunity to grab games for Plus Months Past. Sony has had well over a year of Plus Months on PS4 now. I wish they'd bring back the more permanent Instant Games Collection with the big Plus games of the year like Drive Club, MGS:GZ and a few others, on top of the normal monthly offerings, to again have good games, right away, for free, to new PS4 adopters.

[ThunderPulse]

I agree Indies are garbage most of the time I've liked a few but most would be in the bargain bin if they were retail games.

[fermcr]

"People Should Not Complain about the PS Plus Instant Game Collection"

If it's a paid service, people have every right to complain.

BTW, 99% of indie games out that are crap or shovelware.

[Larry L]

Funny you should say that. I was just talking to a friend about how this generation, unlike the last, all the supposed "AAA" games that have come out over the last year or so have been completely broken crap, bordering on shovelware they're so bad. I don't even understand how alot of these games are getting through official product testing by Sony and MS because things are often broken/glitchy right from sometimes LITERALLY the damn title screens or very early into starting the games. GLARING issues, on HUGE games, on both sides of the fence, and from all developers and publishers. Right down the line from Destiny, to console exclusives like BloodBorn and HaloMCC, to FFX (how did this work perfectly on PS3 yet a PS4 PORT of the PS3 version is broken?!), to MMOs, racers like DC and PCars, SF, MK and KI all the major fighters broken at the start, the list goes on.........I mean EVERYTHING........all broken.

Did you notice what's NOT on that small list of examples of broken/glitchy/bugged-out games being sold to us consumers? Indie Games. They are the only games coming out that aren't broken and/or unplayable from Day 1 these days. And the truth is about indie games on consoles, we don't get the 95% of completely shite and pointless "games" that come out for phones. We tend to get the best of the best out there on the indie market......though I will say as a negative.......we do pay a premium for that filtering.

Luckily on PS4, a good sampling of the best indie stuff gets released for free through PLUS anyway.

[ThunderPulse]

I agree PS+ has been losing its quality ever since PS4.

[ChuckTheIceMan]

I agree, but what do you do when 99% of these games aren't worth playing? Even the good ones are just iPhone games.

[vork77]

are you saying awesome games like axiom verge is a Iphone game?

[ChuckTheIceMan]

No I said most of them are not worth playing.

[MrSwankSinatra]

If you're paying for a service then as a consumer you have every right to complain. If people want more AAA titles in their Instant Game Collection then that's their right as a consumer to complain. Personally I'd rather Sony drop Instant Game Collection all together and just focus on improving PSN.

[BitbyDeath]

https://adefrehn.files.word...

IGC is the reason people can stand paying for online.
You should never pay for just online, that would be stupid.

Get out with that.

[MrSwankSinatra]

All the games the come out in the IGC I already own or don't care about. So the IGC is as useless as a car without wheels imo.

[DarkBlood]

Well just cause "you" already own most, it isnt exactly a good reason/excuse to wish they drop igc on everyone else.

[abradley]

See MrSwankSinatra, if you own all the IGC games, does that mean every other gamer on the PSN does too?

Oh well, fuck them, I own everything. Let's get rid of IGC because who the fuck thinks about anybody else.

It's selfishness like that, that keeps everybody back in the dark ages.

[Larry L]

Wow. Mr Swank is like.....the opposite of entitled. He's just like "I BUY EVERYTHING!!!! And so should YOU!" LOL. While I appreciate the sentiment that everyone should work for what they have, personally I'm one broke ass gamer. I've had my PS4 since the night the while PS4 Destiny bundle released, and I could count probably on one hand the games I've actually bought for it. Oh, there are plenty of games I want........I'm poor and our economy in America is being designed more and more evey day it seems to sap away every dime we make and leave us no money to save. So I have to be very niche on what I spend my money on. Only what I truly want the most.

So I absolutely RELY on my free plus games every month for all of my suplemental gaming needs. I once swore to the gaming gods that I'd never pay a subscription for an online service when I'm already paying for the internet. PLUS changed that. You absolutely can not argue with that kind of value. It's damn near unheard of anywhere else in any industry to get this kind of value for money as a consumer.

I am a Plus subscriber for the games more so than the online gaming, but it's both that makes it a comnplete package for me. Take away either and the value of the service goes out the window and I wouldn't resubscribe next year. As long as there are decent games availible to me if I want them (which I only ever even download maybe 50% of Plus games, if that) for my $50 a year, as far as I'm concerned the online gaming itself is still free just like on PS2 and PS3.

[JackStraw]

That's the problem with gamers now. Everything is subjective and revolves around you, as an individual consumer, as opposed to the community. So many of you feel entitled. "Hey, I don't like this feature so it sucks, get rid of it and give me what *I* want!" Yeah, it's not like you're a part of a community or anything.

[abradley]

Exactly. People need to see things from a community view point and whats best for everyone, not just for individuals.

[GamerGabs]

Certainly agree that Indie games deserve people's attention. Indie developers make the games they want to play and put all of their time and passion into the project. AAA companies are more into making things they think others want to play, while thinking passionately about the profits. Both have their great games, and 'shouldn't have been released yet' games. Essentially, it's nice to see that independently made games are beginning to get a bit more respect from the gaming world.

[FallenAngel1984]

We're not mad there are indies on PS+, its that they're taking the majority of the lineup when GWG which used to be behind in value is now regularly giving out multiple AAA games on a regular basis.

We have a right to complain.

[nX]

I'll take Rocket League and Binding of Isaac over Gears and Assassin's Creed any day. I buy every AAA game that I want to play anyway while indies surprise me with their quality very often.

[fermcr]

Sony should make a list of games for PS+ and let gamers pick the games they want.
Example: List with 2-3 AAA games and 2-3 indie games and let people pick 2 of those games.

BTW... telling everyone that you would pick Rocket League and Binding of Isaac over Gears and Assassin Creed, who are you trying to BS?
Would you pick Rocket League and Binding of Isaac over Uncharted and GOW?

If you are really that into to indies, then get a PC... you'll find thousands and thousands of indies, much better ones then on consoles.
If you are incapable of connecting a PC to a TV, then get a Steam Machine. There are cheap Steam Machines out there, capable of playing all those indie games on the TV. What are you waiting for?

@Bloodborn
No, I don't personally know you, but I know people like you.

[nX]

^You're implying way too much nonsense for someone who doesn't know me and obviously didn't understand the point of this discussion.

[chrisco84au]

@Bloodborn

Funny how people disagree with you own simple personal prefernce of games. It's insane, you would rather Rocket League over Gears, yet somehow you are wrong?
Common sense isn't in play there.

I too would prefer Rocket League, not over Gears but over Assassins Creed. Why? Because I'm not a fan of the AC games, not for me.

On the flip side I would take Ori over God of War, fermcr, can you critize that the same way? I would prefer an XBONE indie aver a PS AAA game. Am I trying to BS everyone?

Or did your fanboyism just get shut down?

[Sitdown]

That might be the case for you, but I rather get the games free that typically carry the higher price point..... which would often be the AAA titles.

[uth11]

The thing is, chances are anyone interested in Uncharted ( or Gears, or Assassins Creed) already owns them by the time they make it to these services. It might look like a win that you are getting an AAA title, but is it really a win if you own it?

Nobody had Rocket League the day it went on PS+, and its a very popular game. So that is a bigger win then getting an AAA launch title that you already own

[Caffo01]

regularly? please make a list...

[spacedelete]

i think Sony should remove PS3 and Vita from IGC and focus on PS4 by giving one indie and one AAA game a month. this way indy hipsters are happy and people who like games that take advantage of the hardware are happy. its obvious they can't sustain 6 games a month when they resort to giving trash like Mousecraft and Entwined.

[ginsunuva]

The issue is that this gen sucks and there are no AAA games anyways.

What are they gonna give out?

[Sureshot]

People should not complain about people complaining

[savaroth]

People should not complain about people complaining about people complaining. ERRR Take that inception!

[Hoffmann]

...LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE

[KryptoniteTail]

Why not? I played Entwined for 5 minutes and hated it, played Geomwtry Wars 3 for 15 minutes, it was tolerable, almost fun but won't go back to it often at all, maybe during s***s, and Mousecraft? I hardly got 2 minutes in before switching my Vita off.

I don't play PS3 much and I don't have PS4 yet (waiting for SFV) so I will complain. Vita deserves better than this trash. It has a fair library built up now, try giving us actual games that don't feel like free Android titles.

[gamer7804]

of course people should complain, but they should also praise. This is valuable feedback to the types of games they are putting on PS+ and if they are hitting the mark or not.

Marketing without data analysis is pointless.

[uth11]

It's not that the IGC shouldn't be criticized, its that much of the criticism comes off as sounding like entitled 5-year olds having a tantrum, with people demanding AAA games every single month or the service sucks.

Not everyone is going to like every game, but they give away enough good games that the service should pay for itself. If you like Rocket League and Styx this month, that covers your $50 annual fee right there, everything else you get is a bonus

[toddybad]

I just want good games. I don't care how much they rrp at which is effectively the argument. I really enjoyed the unfinished Swan and ether one a month or two ago, both really enjoyable experiences. Much prefer that the igc continues to support those types of have than simply panders to the idea of high price equals good game. The best aaa games won't hit the igc for a while and the other bug riddled or simply not fun aaa games, why would you want to play them?

[cd1]

Nobody I know complains about the PS+ instant game collection. We get about 4 or 5 games per month for £40 a year, along with cloud storage and store discounts.

I imagine the skinflint's unhappy with this deal are that tight they can peel an orange in their pocket.

[Dirtnapstor]

It's this entitled generation that whines and cries when they don't get what they want. No appreciation. I've been very pleased with the IGC. Sure not every game caters to me, but I've got a bunch of great games in my collection that I would have never spent the $$$ on directly thanks to the IGC. Because of this, I'll be investing in the upcoming Indie games like Zombie Vikings, Alienation, etc. AAA games are not the only good games out there.
Been tempted by Helldivers, opinions anyone?

[psplova]

Who's complaining? I just sit back and enjoy my 2-4 free PS4/Vita games. A wise band once said 'Fuck the naysayers'. I'm a firm believer in that line of thinking.

[jmc8888]

Crazy author. You pay money, you can criticize for ANY reason.

Hell, you see other people paying money in such a situation, you can criticize just fine.

Indie games are indie games. Some are good, some are bad. I've downloaded every one, and you know what, I don't think I've played more then 5 minutes on any of them.

Am I pissed. No. Because it's early in the generation, and right now they can get indie games. But we do want AAA games.

We have to quit being idiots and saying... well lets do everything to support indies. Why? There's a million of them. Good luck with that. You'll never save them all, and you shouldn't.

Let the good ones rise, and the bad ones fall, just like with any other company...unless you happen to be a TBTF bank, then we save you so you can screw us out of everything.

But seriously, I cannot believe there is an idiot author, who is saying we shouldn't complain about indies being on PS+, when about 95 percent of what we got are indies.

Jesus. That's out of balance. You may love driving games... but should PS+ have only 95 percent driving games? You may love FPS... but should PS+ only give out 95 percent FPS?

I want a suite of differing games and genres.

I can like indie games. FTL was a game I bought, Defense Grid 1 and 2, etc, etc, etc... now these aren't on PS4, but most indies are very much like the games I got tired of 20-30 years ago, with updated but still similar graphics. For some people this is great, for people like me, not so much. I got tired of those games, and I still am. So I'll try some of them, but I really won't buy many platformers, or beat 'em ups and stuff like that. Just not my style. So having a few of these games a year, no problem.

95 percent indie...problem.

Some moron saying we shouldn't complain...completely idiotic.

It's like the car dealer saying, you can have any car, but only in white, and you can't complain. Sorry, I want variety.

[DualWielding]

instant game collection doesn't exist anymore, instant game collection was what the older system where there were 18 games in rotation a new subscriber will game the moment he or she subscribed... now it's only monthly games and that's it

[Lord_Kaname]

Indies are average but come on, mix it up with at least PSP games.

[Chumdiddy]

A-
PS+ since it began. I have to admit I haven't touched the majority of IGC releases lately. There is maybe a game a month I'll touch one day. That said, I have a backlog of games and many that I know I'll play from ICG are in it.

I often skip on games I think will be on IGC. If it's not a day one buy for me, I'll wait a year to see If it comes out on IGC. Only a few games I wanted waited on came to IGC soon after I bought it or not at all. On the flip side I've had real surprises with IGC! If not for it I likely wouldn't have played a lot of games I would up really liking but they seem to be all last gen games and early PS+.

IMO, I'd be ok if they dropped the mandated "2 games per" thing as it does tend to bring us a ton of crap. Let's be honest, guys. For every solid indie title they give us 20 games that are absolute afterthoughts for most.

My solution would be to:
1. mandate a single PS4 or PS3 title each month that is a retail game of some level of integrity. It can be cross buy if it happens to support it but not necessary.
2. Either another game that matches the criteria above OR no less than 2 indie games of the current ilk on any platform from PSP-PS4.

Why do I want this? We'd be guaranteed a game a month that gives you the feeling of worth that PS+ games once had. I have no issue with the current model but many do and of be ok with this model. 3 games with one guaranteed "retail" title that has a minimum PSN rating of...say....4 stars. The main game may be one many own or a hidden gem or a legit AAA title, etc. It can be 5 months old or 5 years. I don't care if it's a hand of relatively high reviews and this would also get more people to review games on PSN & review them fairly. Heck, maybe even give PS+ members a chance to vote on one game a year! Once a year plus members can choose a single game for free, by vote & on any game over 4-8 months old.

The other two can be Indies of the quality they give now - sometimes great but often meh quality. Any system, Sony choice. Guarantee PS+ subs a solid game a month.

[Chumdiddy]

B-

Another idea I've had is a reimbursement system. Imagine a system where Sony releases the IGC each month the way they do now and members have a chance to decline the game for "points". Each game would have points based on what they paid to get the game on the IGC. They release MGS: GZ but you already own it? Decline EVER downloading/playing from PS+ for, say, 5 points credited to your account. A bum indie game they paid nothing for could be worth a point, etc.

Now imagine EVERY title on PSN having its own point value. A brand new release may have a point total of 100. If it's a major release (like a new GTA, Uncharted, etc) maybe it's more but the point is that PS+ members should have some say in what they pay for. Things we don't want should be able to be used for things we do, either totally or by discount.

Remember that PS+ started as a value membership system! Only recently did they force you to need it to play online. I don't subscribe to the notion of WR should be thankful to get anything as that isn't what it started as and, frankly, I don't game online. Very rare at best so I still use it for the VIP membership feel they initially sold it as. Give members the option to "bank" the titles they don't want for things they do.

On Sony's side, use trophy info to see what "major" titles are least likely to be owned by the majority. Use the hypothetical "decline for points" data to adjust for what game they pay to add to IGC and how much they pay. At this rate and during the PS4 lifespan alone, I'd "decline/bank" most games they've released. HOWEVER, if I used my points on a game like U4 or MGSV:TPP, I may only have enough points to discount the game by half or something. That or I'd maybe have enough to get a discounted solud title like Shadow of Mordor in full? It could be done, IMO. One or the other, at least.

I'm a quality over quanity guy. I'd rather have a few very solid titles a year over 50+ titles I'll rarely or never touch.